Sydney turned away from them, sickened by their words. Jack was telling her
things that she didn't want to hear. They sounded too much like the truth.
"I don't want to hear this!" she said in a small voice "It can't be true. Vaughn would never work...." Her hands were clenched into fists as her sides. She wanted to hit someone, but didn't know who was the wrongdoer. Instead, she settled for pacing angrily.
"I don't care! You have to know." Jack interrupted her in mid-sentence "Sydney, I know that I have betrayed your trust before, but I've always believed that I was doing the right thing. I'm sorry, truly, but this is the truth. Vaughn is working for the Russians." There wasn't a hint of doubt behind his words. He totally believed what he was saying.
"Dad, you're right when you say that you've betrayed me- and my trust- on more than one occasion. Why should this time be any different?" Sydney asked slowly. "Vaughn has never given me any reason not to trust him. He's been there for me when you've not." She held his furious gaze steadily, not flinching.
"Because I have proof. Proof that he was behind your capture, the... interrogation you received while being held... it all leads straight to Vaughn." The heavy truth in his words hit Sydney badly. She tensed, a mere second away from screaming that she didn't believe him- she didn't want to.
White, sensing that there was about to be an argument between parent and daughter, wisely stepped in. "Agent Bristow, Sydney, please." He said, trying to appease them both and failing. They both turned as one and glared at him identically. "Whether Agent Vaughn is or isn't working with the Russians, we can't stand here and debate it." There was a note of common sense and warning in his voice.
"Agent White is correct." Jack said, stepping over to where he'd tied Artis to a convenient branch. The dark man was still there, muttering about police brutality and the thing's he'd like to do to Jack. Jack ignored his mutterings, and untied his bound arms.
Sydney stood at the edge of the motley group watching the man she thought she loved walk over to them. If what Jack said was true, then the implications were dire. She'd already lost one man she loved- she didn't want to loose another.
As soon as Vaughn reached them, Sydney stepped up to him. In a soft, deadly voice, she asked "Is it true?" There was no need to add more details. The reaction on his face was enough for her. She raised a hand to her face, covering her mouth. When she's asked the question, an expression of absolute puzzlement had crossed Vaughn's face. He didn't know what she was talking about.
She turned to the group.
"Which one is lying to me?" her voice threatened to break, but she kept it under control. Her eyes singled out the man who looked around guiltily. She couldn't believe who she was looking at.
"I don't want to hear this!" she said in a small voice "It can't be true. Vaughn would never work...." Her hands were clenched into fists as her sides. She wanted to hit someone, but didn't know who was the wrongdoer. Instead, she settled for pacing angrily.
"I don't care! You have to know." Jack interrupted her in mid-sentence "Sydney, I know that I have betrayed your trust before, but I've always believed that I was doing the right thing. I'm sorry, truly, but this is the truth. Vaughn is working for the Russians." There wasn't a hint of doubt behind his words. He totally believed what he was saying.
"Dad, you're right when you say that you've betrayed me- and my trust- on more than one occasion. Why should this time be any different?" Sydney asked slowly. "Vaughn has never given me any reason not to trust him. He's been there for me when you've not." She held his furious gaze steadily, not flinching.
"Because I have proof. Proof that he was behind your capture, the... interrogation you received while being held... it all leads straight to Vaughn." The heavy truth in his words hit Sydney badly. She tensed, a mere second away from screaming that she didn't believe him- she didn't want to.
White, sensing that there was about to be an argument between parent and daughter, wisely stepped in. "Agent Bristow, Sydney, please." He said, trying to appease them both and failing. They both turned as one and glared at him identically. "Whether Agent Vaughn is or isn't working with the Russians, we can't stand here and debate it." There was a note of common sense and warning in his voice.
"Agent White is correct." Jack said, stepping over to where he'd tied Artis to a convenient branch. The dark man was still there, muttering about police brutality and the thing's he'd like to do to Jack. Jack ignored his mutterings, and untied his bound arms.
Sydney stood at the edge of the motley group watching the man she thought she loved walk over to them. If what Jack said was true, then the implications were dire. She'd already lost one man she loved- she didn't want to loose another.
As soon as Vaughn reached them, Sydney stepped up to him. In a soft, deadly voice, she asked "Is it true?" There was no need to add more details. The reaction on his face was enough for her. She raised a hand to her face, covering her mouth. When she's asked the question, an expression of absolute puzzlement had crossed Vaughn's face. He didn't know what she was talking about.
She turned to the group.
"Which one is lying to me?" her voice threatened to break, but she kept it under control. Her eyes singled out the man who looked around guiltily. She couldn't believe who she was looking at.